Compression explosion engine



Dec. 15, 1931. s, MAHER 1,836,179

COMPRESSION EXPLOSION ENGINE Filed July 7, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

BERNARD 57:4 NQLEY MA HER.

A TTORNEYS.

Dec. 15, 1931. s, MAHER 1,836,179

COMPRESSION EXPLOSION ENGINE Filed July 7, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR;

Balm/41w 5724 ML E Y M4 l/Ef.

BY 7 a A TTORNEYS.

without departin Patented Dec. 15, 1931 BERNARD STANLEY Iv'IAHER,

or OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA COMPRESSION EXYLOSION ENGINE Application filed July 7, 1930. Serial No. 466,314.

My invention relates to improvements in compression explosion engines, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a compression explosion engine that is designed to impart more than one power impulse to the power piston during the firing stroke of the piston. In my co-pending application Serial No. 408,043, filed'Nov. 18, 1929, on an engine, I showed spark plugs for igniting the gas at the proper moment. In the present invention I show atomizers for straying a liquid fuel into the engine at theproper moments. The chambersfor receiving the air and gas are made low fitting in height so as to obtain the desired compression for igniting the fuel.

()ther objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of the device will be particularly painted out inthe claims hereto annexed.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, in which:- g

Fig. 1 is a transverse section through the device, 7 V

Figure 2 a section along the line 22 of Figure 1, and l Figures 3 and 4 are sectional. views through a novel type of valve used in the device.

' In carrying out my invention, I provide an engine block indicated generally at 1, this block having apowercylinder 2 and a pump cylinder 3. A power piston 4 is mount-' ed in the cylinder 2, and a pump piston 5 is mounted in the cylinder 3. Connecting rods 6 and 7 extend from the pistons 4 and 5 respectively and are radiallyconnectedat 8 and 9 to gears 10 and 11. I have shown the connection 8 as being disposed substantially midway between the periphery of the gear 10 and its center, althoughthis connection may be disposed near the rim of the gear if desired from the spirit and scope of the invention, This would lengthen the stroke of the piston 4', and the cylinder 2 would also have to be lengthened to take care of this increased stroke. r

' The ratio'of the gears 10 and 11 is such as to cause the piston 5 to move twiceas fast as the .piston 4-. It is obvious that this ratio may vbe changed as desired by substituting different combinations of gears. The gear 10 meshes with an idler gear 12 mounted upon a shaft 13 whilethe idler gear meshes with a gear 14 mounted upon the driven shaft 15. All of the gears are disposed within a crankcase 16 (see Figure 1).

A partition 17 extends across the cylinder 3,and provides a compartment 18, so forming the firing-head 19. An air intake valve- 20 places an air intake manifold 21 in" communication with the cylinder 3. A check valve 22 places the cylinder 3 in communica 5 tion with the compartment 18 It should be noted that the headofthe valve lies flush with the top ofthe partition 17. An atomizingfuel injector 23 is designed todeliver fuel to the compartment 18 at the proper instant. A valve indicated generally at 24 and hereinafter described more in detail places the compartment 18 in communication with the top of the cylinder 2. I r V 'A fuel injector and atomizer25 similar to the atomizer 23'is placed in the top of the cylinder 2. Figure 1 shows an exhaust valve 26 carried by the piston 4, thisvalvehaving a stem 27 that is designed to strike a perforated partition 28 for openingthe valve'ga when the piston 4 nears the bottom of its stroke and after a casing 29 housing the valve 26 received in an exhaust pipe 30 as shown by the dotted lines. -Reference to Figure 2 shows the exhaust pipe 30 as leading exterior- 3:; 1y of the crankcase 16 and as being connected to an exhauster 31 driven by any means, not shown. A check valve 32 is disposed in the exhaust pipe 30. p p

, Figures 3 and 4 showthe valve-24 in detail. It will be noted that a valve plug 33 normally seats on a ring valve 34 and is yieldingly held in this position by a spring 35. The ring valve 34'carries guide rods 36, and theserods areconnected to thering 37 which presses against a spring 38. The rods 36 are slidably carried by sleeves'3 9, while the 'rodfof the valve 33 is pinned to the sleeve 40: The

sleeves 39 and 40 are integ'rally connected by means of .a webbing. Figure 4 shows the 1 0 sleeves 39 moved until they contact with the ring valve 34, whereupon added pressure of the gases flowing through the valve will cause the ring valve 84 to open.

The engine is designed to work under the four-cycle principle or under the two-cycle principle. When the engine is working under the four-cycle principle, more than two charges are compressed in the chamber 18 before the spring 35 will permit the valve plug 33 to open in the manner shown in Figure 4. This will permit the charge to move from the chamber 18 into the top of the cylinder 2. When an explosion takes place in the chamber 18, the plug 33 and the ring valve 34 will both open and permit the exploding gas to move quickly from the chamber 18 into the top of the cylinder 2 in order to add another power impulse to the piston 4 on its downward movement.

It should be noted that the gear 11 is mounted upon a stub shaft 40 and the gear 10 is mounted upon a stub shaft 41.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood.

The pump piston 5 draws air into the cylinder 3 through the valve 20. The air is compressed and delivered into the chamber 18, thence into the cylinder 2 by a valve 24. The piston 4 compresses the air charge up to the firing point, whereupon the atomizer 25 injects the fuel which is ignited by the heat of compression of the compressed air.

Slightly before the piston 4 reaches its midpoint position, another compressed air charge has been delivered into the chamber 18 and retained there. When the piston 4 reaches the midpoint position, the atomizer 23 injects a fuel charge and this is ignited by the heat of compression of the compressed air charge in the chamber 18. It is noted. that the high compression temperature of the air charges delivered into the explosion spaces is obtained by making the explosionspaces low fitting in height.

Cycle of operations for two-cycle arrangement driving the piston 4 downwardly. Slightly before the piston 4 has reached the midpoint of its downward movement, the piston 5 will have compressed the air in the cylinder 3 and will have delivered this compressed air into the chamber. 18 past the check valve At the instant the piston 4 reaches the midpoint of its downward movement, the atomizer 23 injects fuel which is ignited by the temperature of the compressed air in the chamber 18. The gas exploding mixture will pass the check valve 24 and enter the cylinder 2 where it will give an added power impulse to the piston 4 as it travels downwardly. The valve 24 remains open until the piston 4 reaches the bottom of its stroke, because the pressure in the chamber 18 is greater at all times than the pressure in the cylinder 2 during this stroke.

At the end of'the power stroke, the valve stem 27 contacts with the disc 28 and opens the 'valve 26. The escaping exhaust opens the check valve 32 in the exhaust pipe 80. The out-rush of the exhaust gases is aided by the suction device 31.

Returning to the pump'piston 5, it will be noted that when the engine piston 4 has moved from the center of its downward stroke to the bottemof its downward stroke, the pump piston 5 moves from slightly below the top of its stroke to the bottom end of its stroke. and in so doing the piston 5 sucks in a new charge of air from the intake manifold 21. @n the return upward stroke of the engine piston 4, the piston 5 also starts movin upwardly and reaches the top of its stroke slightly before the piston 4 reaches the midpoint of its stroke.

The compressed air charge formed by the piston 5 will be delivered into the chamber 18 and from there delivered to the top of the cylinder 2 without an injection of fuel being made by the atomizer 23. To pass the compressed air to the top of cylinder 2, the valve plug 33 only of the valve 24 opens, since the pressure of the air alone is not sufiicient to overcome the spring 38. In the two-cycle principle engine, the spring 38 pre sents a greater tension than the spring 35. The compressed air is delivered into the top of the cylinder 2 prior to the piston 4 reaching the top of its stroke.

The engine piston 4 continues on its upward movement from the middle of its stroke to the top and compresses the air charge in the cylinder 2. Simultaneously with this up ward movement of the piston 4, the piston 5 I moves down to the bottom end of its stroke. All of the valves are closed, and the cycle is ready to be repeated.

Cycle of operations for four-cycle arrangement n is ignited by the temperature of the compressed air charge, this driving the piston 4 downair in the cylinder 3 and will'have delivered this compressed air into the chamber 18 through the check valve 22. a

. At the instant the piston 4reaches the midpoint of its downward movement, the atom izer 23- injects fuel which is ignited-by the temperature of the compressed airin .the chamber 18. 1e gas explosion will pass the check valve 24 and enter the cylinder 2, where it will give an added power impulse to the piston 4 as it travels downwardly. The valve 24 remains open until the piston 4 reaches the bottom of its stroke, because the pressure in the chamber 18 is greater at all times than the pressure in the cylinder 2 during this stroke.

At the end of the power stroke, the valve stem 27 contacts with the disc 28 and opens the valve 26. The exhaust gases will escape in the manner already stated. Y

Returning to the pump piston 5, it will be noted that when'the engine piston 4 has moved from the center of its downward stroke to the bottom of its downward stroke, the pump piston 5 moves from slightly below the top of its stroke to the bottom end of its stroke, and in sodoing the piston sucks in a new charge of air from the intake manifold 21. On the return upward stroke of the engine piston 4, the pump piston 5 also starts moving upwardly and reaches the top of its stroke slightly before the piston 4 reaches the midpoint of its stroke. The compressed charge formed by the piston 5 will be delivered into the chamber 18 and retained therein, the check valve 24 having a spring that is designed to allow the valve plug 33 to open only after two such compressed charges have been delivered into the chamber 18, or one compressed air charge and an explosion resulting from an injection of fuel.

When the piston 4 has reached the top o-f'its stroke, the piston 5 has moved to the bottom end of its stroke, and in doing so has drawn into the cylinder 3 a fresh charge of air from the intake manifold 21. On its return downward stroke, when the piston 4 has reached the midpoint of that downward stroke, the piston 5 willhave reached the top of its stroke and will have compressed the air in the cylinder 3, delivering it into the chamber 18.-

The check valve 24 still remains closed, its spring 35 being strong enough to permit the plug 33 to open only after two such compressed charges have been delivered into the chamber 18. When the piston4 has moved fromthe midpoint of this return downward stroke to the bottom of the stroke, the piston "5 has moved to the bottom ofits stroke and has drawn a fresh air charge into the cylin der 3 from the intake manifold 21.

On the succeeding upward stroke of the piston 4, when it has reached the midpoint of that upward stroke, the piston 5 will have compressed the air in the cylinder 3 delivers ing it into the chamber 18. i There now being more than two compressed charges deliver into the chamber 18, the check valve 24 will open and the compressed air in the chamber 18 will be delivered intothe top of the cylinder 2. Thecompressed air is delivered into the top of cylinder 2 prior to the piston4 reachingthe topof its stroke.

The engine piston 4 continues its upward movementfrom the middle of its stroke to the top and compresses the air charge in the cylinder 2.; Simultaneously with this; up-

ward movement of the piston 4, the piston 5 moves down. to the bottom end of its stroke. All of the valves are closed, and the cycle is ready to be repeated.

It is thus apparent that the power piston receives two impulses on every other downward stroke, and that I have provided means for supplying fuel and compressed air to the power cylinder, as well as means for exhausting the products of combustion. Although the air is compressed in a separate cylinder, the compressed air is delivered to the, power cylinder at the proper instant. Since the operation is analogous tothat of a four-cycle engine insofar as I have provided'for com pressing air and gas, delivering the same to the power cylinder, exploding the charge, and subsequently exhausting the power cylinder. I have used theexpressionfour-cycle in t is specification, and the same should be interpreted in light ofthe description.

- It will'be seen. that the only mechanical two cycle operation is the tensile strength allowed for the spring 35 on the valve plug 33'. It will also be seen fromthe above cycle description that in the case of the four cycle operation, the opening atevery downward stroke of the piston 4' of the exhaust valve 26 by the contacting of the valve stem 27:with the disc 28 is immaterial. It is to be noted, also, that the phasesetting relationshipcof piston 4 and piston 5 and theirrelative motions are the same for the four cycle operation' and the two cycle operation. The gear wheelslO and 11 may be made'anyratio of sizes relative to each other when the spring provided With hot bulbs if desired.

7 difference in the four cycle operation and the It is obvious that any number'of cylinders maybe used, and these .may be arranged,

straight-in-line, V-type, or radial type; The idler gear 12 maybe dispensed with if desired, or more than one idler gear may beemployed. v

Although have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of various changes, and I reserve the right to employ such changes as may come within the scope of the claims hereto annexed.

I claim:

1. A compression explosion engine comprising a power cylinder, a piston mounted therein, a pump cylinder, a piston mounted therein, connecting rods and gearing operatively connecting the pistons together for causing the'pump piston to operate faster than the power piston, a compartment, a check valve controlling the flow of fluid from the pump cylinder into the compartment, a second check valve disposed between the compartment and the pow-er cylinder, an intake for the pump cylinder, an exhaust for the power cylinder, a fuel injector mounted in the compartment, and a second fuel inj ector arranged in the power cylinder.

2. A compression explosion engine comprising a power cylinder, a piston mounted therein, a pump cylinder, a piston mounted therein, connecting rods and gearing operatively connecting the pistons together for causing the pump piston to operate faster than the power piston, a compartment, a

check valve controlling the flow of fluid from the pump cylinder into the compartment, a compound check valve disposed between the compartment and the power cylinder, an intake. for the pump cylinder, an exhaust for the power cylinder, a fuel injector mounted in the compartment, and a second fuel injector arranged in the power cylinder.

3. A compression ex alosion engine comprising a power cyhn er, a power piston movable therein and with the cylinder defining a compression chamber, an auxiliary compression chamber, a check valve disposed between the two chambers, a pump cylinder, a check valve disposed between the pump cylinder and the auxiliary chamber, a fuel injector mounted in the auxiliary compression chamber, and a second fuel injector arranged in the power cylinder.

4. In a compression explosion engine, a

cylinder, a piston, an exhaust valve carried by the piston, an exhaust pipe, an abutment carried by the pipe for opening the valve when the piston completes its power stroke, and an exhauster for placing a partial vacuum on the exhaust pipe for withdrawing the gases.

5. A compression explosion engine comprising a power cylinder, a piston mounted therein, a pump cylinder, apiston mounted .therein, connecting rods secured to the pistons, a large gear having the power piston connecting rod radially mounted thereon, a small gear meshing with the large gearand having the pump piston connecting rod radially mounted thereon, an auxiliary'compression' and explosion chamber placing the 

